So I had a request to post an entry "from Jericho" on here just so it would register on the map so everyone can see where it is. Auja doesn't register, I think the town is too small, but Jericho does. So Auja is just a little ways north of Jericho, about 20-25 minutes by car, and then about 30-40 minutes away from the Dead Sea.

I also had a question of why I was swimming in the Dead Sea when I said raw, untreated sewage was being dumped into it via the Jordan River. Good question :) The Jordan River dumps into the northern end of the sea, and we were swimming in the southwestern side. So the only consolation was that we were far away from the dumping site, BUT this has been going on for quite some time, so I would think eventually it would drift down there. I didn't see waste of any kind when we were swimming, but I guess that doesn't really mean it wasn't there. I think the key point is that I showered when I got out. :)